JALANDHAR: Punjabi Diaspora around the Globe feel that NRI courts in Punjab should be given more power and officers be made accountable if the NRI Property Safeguards Act is to serve its purpose.
Urging the Punjab Govt and Punjab &Haryana High Court Satnam Singh Chahal executive director North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) said that the Previous Akali-BJP Govt in Punjab cleared a proposal for the NRI Property Safeguards Act during its Cabinet meeting. Chahal sounded a note of caution that no Act would have meaning till NRI cases got a special treatment in courts and responsibility of officers fixed to settle cases within a timeframe, He said.
We appreciate the government’s some gestures but our bad experience with the powers that be makes us wary. It did not honour its commitment on easy investment and more grievance redressal mechanisms. “added Chahal While listing one of the problems Chahal said that “NRIs face difficulty in getting back the possession of their land because of the cumbersome legal process.
The false owner of the NRI property takes the possession and later files a case; the case drags for years. In case an NRI produces a document to prove that the disputed property is in his name, he should be given the possession. A case, however, can continue, ” Chahal said. “The success of any policy depends on its implementation. Delaying tactics by revenue officials has been the biggest concern for NRIs. Interference by Politicians including their henchmen was a big problem.”
Chahal added, “Former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had, in 2013, said the state was to become an ideal investment destination. Former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had, in 2014, sought investment from NRIs. Present Punjab Government also nominated several Representatives to attract investment from NRI’s but Nothing happened as yet.”